Council to take on RMC language, block grants

Saturday

Feb 2, 2013 at 1:00 PM

Ridgecrest’s city council is slated to clean up some language in the city municipal code at its meeting 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. In addition, the council will address remaining vacancies in the Handicap Access Appeals and Construction Appeals boards and the city’s Personnel Commission.

By Jack Barnwelljbarnwell@ridgecrestca.com

Ridgecrest’s city council is slated to clean up some language in the city municipal code at its meeting 6 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall. In addition, the council will address remaining vacancies in the Handicap Access Appeals and Construction Appeals boards and the city’s Personnel Commission.The city council will also face an item regarding a change to one of the city’s Community Development Block Grant 5-year plans.The Community Block Grant would allocate $241,066 to expand and renovate the building in which the Southern Sierra Boys and Girls Club operates. Another $75,000 is recommended for major renovations to Ridgecrest Senior Center, which is next door to the Boys and Girls Club.The recommended amendments would be earmarked for Fiscal Year 2013-14.The recommended numbers run contradictory to the Dec. 3 meeting, in which it was recommended by city council to allocate $200,000 for renovations to the senior center and $95,000 to the Boys and Girls Club expansion.The item was initially on the Dec. 5 city council agenda, in which it was proposed that $75,000 initially earmarked for the Southern Sierra Boys and Girls Club be reallocated to help fund projects to upgrade the city’s street ramps to be compliant with American Disability Act laws.Interim City Manager Dennis Speer had initially recommended reallocating the total amount, $300,000 over the rest of the 5-year grant cycle be appropriated for ADA compliancy projects on the city’s sidewalk ramps.Strong support for the Boys and Girls Club drummed up strong discussion among the newly seated city council and members of the public about how the money should be spent appropriately. Some advocated the Senior Center could use money for much-needed renovations, some advocated the Boys and Girls Club building needed expansion to accommodate growing needs. A third segment argued the need that the development block grants should be utilized on the original recommendations: upgrade the city’s ramps so the city fell within ADA compliancy.City council adjourned the meeting to the next day to continue out the discussion, where it directed city staff to try and extend an impending deadline.Neither Interim City Manager Dennis Speer nor Interim Finance Director Tess Sloan could be reached Friday.Request forms filled out for grants attached to Wednesday’s agenda $95,000 for the Boys and Girls Club expansion, with $69,000 of that put toward construction costs. Additional fees would bring total cost of the expansion at around $119,000, with the difference above $95,000 to be paid by the club.The application for the massive overhaul required by the Senior Center — filled out by Park and Recreations Director Jim Ponek, puts the construction tab at $197,000.Cleaning up the Muni CodeUpon recommendation from City Attorney Keith Lemieux, the council will be asked to update the city municipal code by removing or changing its language. The changes are required to comply with California laws.According to Lemieux, the changes are routine and would remove antiquated language or sections no longer pertaining to the city.The major change is the removal of the section pertaining to the city’s Redevelopment Agency. With the dissolution of California’s RDAs in February 2012, the section no longer applies.Other minor changes include changing the title “City Administrator” to “City Manager” throughout the code and making slight changes to the ordinance governing the Personnel Commission.Board AppointmentsCity Council will need to fill four vacancies remaining on three of its boards.One vacancy remains in each the Construction Appeals Board and Handicap Access Appeals Board, and two seats need to be filled for the Personnel Commission.At the Jan. 23 council meeting, Vice Mayo Chip Holloway appointed former city manager and police chief Mike Avery to the Construction Appeals Board and Councilman Jim Sanders appointed Ryan Hunter to the Handicap Access Appeals Board.